Destiny 2 Best Grenade Launchers

Key Takeaways

• Grenade launchers in Destiny 2 offer diverse utility and strong boss damage potential.
• Koraxis’s Distress, Wilderflight, and Forbearance are top choices for different scenarios.
• Cataphract GL3, Edge Transit, and Bitter/Sweet are recommended heavy grenade launchers.

Grenade launchers are one of the most popular archetypes in Destiny 2. From wave frames that were recently nerfed to heavy grenade launchers that finally have seen some proper usage in endgame boss damage meta, there are truly some excellent weapons for players to discover in this category.

What makes this archetype so good is that it comes with a ton of utility. Some grenade launchers are fantastic at denying areas and clearing out ads, while others might focus more on single targets or even help propel the player upwards for some added mobility. With all the changes from Lightfall to The Final Shape in mind, here’s what the must-have grenade launchers are in Destiny 2.

Updated on November 19, 2024, by Anastasia Maillot: The great era of grenade launchers in Destiny 2 is far from being over. With The Final Shape introducing the Aerial Denial frame, and Wave Frames getting hit with big nerfs, it was time for a shift in the grenade launcher meta—but not away from it. Heavy slot-wise, there are some seriously powerful contenders that have come to challenge Edge Transit’s long-standing supremacy since Revenant came out, and they are without a doubt at the top of the pyramid in terms of DPS.

12 Koraxis’s Distress

A Powerful DPS Option In Cases Where The Surrounded Perk Works

• God Roll: Surrounded & Envious Assassin

When Koraxis’s Distress first came out, it wasn’t much to look at. Now that the meta has shifted and changed a little, it has managed to carve out its own spot. Most notably, the existence of the Surrounded perk on it is what makes it an interesting choice, if players can take advantage of enemies in close proximity while damaging the boss. It might be a little less versatile and more niche as a result of this, but it compensates for its lack of flexibility with great damage potential.

Koraxis’s Distress can be acquired from the Root of Nightmares raid on Neomuna.

11 Wilderflight

An Excellent Addition To An Optimal DPS Rotation

• God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster & Vorpal Weapon

Wilderflight was introduced with the Vex-themed Spire of the Watcher dungeon. As a Void grenade launcher, it fires a twin-shot thanks to its Double Fire frame. While it can be great on its own, the main utility of the weapon comes into play during DPS rotations.

Due to its Auto-Loading and Vorpal Weapon perk combo, it slots in very nicely with DPS rotations that lean on activating Envious Assassin or Bait and Switch. PVE players who are all about min-maxing their damage output in the endgame will definitely want to try and farm this one from the dungeon. Unfortunately, it can’t be crafted.

10 Forbearance

Even After The Nerfs, It Still Demolishes Groups Of Enemies

• God Roll (Onslaught): Demolitionist & One For All
• God Roll (Vow of the Disciple): Ambitious Assassin & One For All

​​​​​​Forbearance is one of the legendary wave frame grenade launchers in the game, first introduced in Vow of the Disciple. After extensive nerfs at the release of The Final Shape to balance things out, it’s still a very powerful weapon. Even with the Chain Reaction perk nerfed, if players happen to have a roll that includes it, it’s not necessarily the end of the world.

However, those who are looking for something new for their Forbearance should try One For All, which is available on both versions. In Onslaught, Demolitionist is a very cool perk to try out instead of Ambitious Assassin if players are leaning more toward a spammy, grenade build meant to destroy groups of ads in a blink.

9 Witherhoard

The Exotic Powerhouse That Still Works

• Can be acquired from the Exotic archive

Witherhoard held a top spot for one of the best Exotics for a long time. Around Lightfall, that spot was beginning to get contested by Conditional Finality, which just offers huge single-target, champion, and mini-boss destroying damage. That being said, Witherhoard is still surprisingly good. Both direct hits and areal denial hits on the ground are powerful, even if the duration was nerfed way back.

If there’s one Exotic choice to take away here, with the most versatility, Witherhoard is definitely the one. Grinding out the catalyst for it is an absolute must, as it adds Auto-Loading Holster as a perk.

8 Parasite

One Of The Best Burst DPS Heavy Weapons

The Witch Queen expansion is required to get this Hive worm-themed grenade launcher which quite literally lobs out high-damage Hive worms. On the surface, this might seem gimmicky, but the sheer amount of burst damage it packs is nothing to scoff at. Players will need to score kills to charge up their Worm’s Hunger to 20 stacks. After that, the next projectile fired will deal massive damage to an enemy.

This is still one of the go-to strategies that players use with bosses that have short damage windows, such as Atraks from Deep Stone Crypt.

7 Lost Signal

The Legendary Version Of Witherhoard

• God Roll: Auto-Loading & Demolitionist

The first Episode, Echoes, brought in some extremely interesting and experimental weapons into the game, including this new Area Denial Frame Legendary grenade launcher Lost Signal. It’s basically a Witherhoard, in that it shoots out blobs of energy that deal damage when enemies walk into the puddles. In this case, Lost Signal deals Stasis damage.

What’s even better about this weapon is its Origin Trait. When players rapidly defeat enemies, they will explode into pools of radiolaria, which further damages enemies nearby. It’s fantastic for clearing out rooms of enemies. Better yet, unlike Witherhoard, it can be crafted and is easily acquired from playing seasonal content.

6 The Mountaintop

Return Of The King—And It Still Works

• God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster & Recombination

The Mountaintop might not be as oppressive as it once was in the game, but after making a comeback in Onslaught during the Into the Light free update, it definitely showed its claws. It’s more of a great tool to have in the box now and is only overshadowed by rocket sidearms being so overpowered.

Not only can it deal incredible damage with Recombination, but it also provides additional mobility thanks to its Micro-Missile Frame that lets players propel themselves upward. It’s not craftable, and with The Final Shape out, players will need to grind Onslaught diligently to get their hands on a roll they like.

5 VS Velocity Baton

A Challenger To Wilderflight In DPS Rotations

• God Roll: Demolitionist & Bait and Switch

Another Aerial Denial frame grenade launcher, VS Velocity Baton could be best described just as Lost Signal is—the Legendary tier Witherhoard. It’s a Void grenade launcher that can be earned from the Vesper’s Host dungeon, introduced during Episode Revenant.

Perk-wise, what makes this grenade launcher so good is that it comes with Bait and Switch, which slots it nicely into any DPS loadouts where players need to deal damage with all three weapons to proc Bait and Switch on their heavy weapon. Now, imagine also getting that damage boost on another weapon—that’s why this grenade launcher shouldn’t be slept on. Pair it up with Demolitionist for a quick reload when throwing a grenade, and it’s a solid must-have.

4 Cataphract GL3

A Solid Top-Spot Contender For Damage

• God Roll: Envious Assassin & Bait And Switch

At the top of grenade launchers are two heavy weapon options that are ideal for DPS. One of them is Cataphract GL3, a Strand weapon that can be acquired by playing Trials of Osiris. Compared to Edge Transit, it has slight bumps in its stats which might make it the preferred weapon for some players.

However, with Void weapons being favored in the artifact right now, Cataphract GL3 might be losing out to Edge Transit based on this first Episode’s meta. Time will tell if something favoring Strand weapons will lift it past its Void competitor. For players avoiding PVP, it’s also not the easiest one to earn.

3 Edge Transit

The Best And Most Accessible Heavy Grenade DPS Weapon

• God Roll: Envious Assassin & Bait And Switch

Edge Transit returned to the game not as a meme as it first appeared, but as a hero. This weapon has seen extensive use in DPS rotations since its re-release in Into the Light, and it still remains decently good, even if rockets remain up. The god roll for it is the same as for Cataphract, but the difference is that players won’t need to hit PVP for a chance to earn it. A long grind in Onslaught is what is needed to get it, as Edge Transit isn’t craftable.

Right now, as a Void weapon, it holds the top spot thanks to the Expanding Abyss artifact perk, but this is bound to change as the meta shifts and progresses. For now, when in doubt, just Edge Transit.

2 Bitter/Sweet

An Arc Contender To Edge Transit

• God Roll: Envious Arsenal & Bait and Switch

After being in the limelight for so long, Edge Transit was topped by a heavy grenade launcher introduced in the Revenant Episode. Bitter/Sweet is an Arc heavy, which can be acquired by playing the new Onslaught activity that came with Revenant. It might be a little harder to get this time, though, as players won’t be able to craft these new Revenant weapons.

However, getting lucky with the right perks is definitely worth it, because it packs a real damage punch with Envious Arsenal, paired with Bait and Switch. These two perks are both very similar in how they work since they require players to deal damage with their other weapons, so it’s a match made in heaven. Would it not be for how powerful Stasis is this season in many scenarios, this would likely sit at the top of the pyramid.

1 VS Chill Inhibitor

The Current Stasis DPS King Of Grenade Launchers

• God Roll: Envious Arsenal & Bait and Switch

VS Chill Inhibitor is the weapon everyone seems to be talking about in Episode Revenant, as farming it revealed an issue deep in the game’s code that made some perks weighted without Bungie being aware of it. So, how good is this weapon really?

With Envious Arsenal and Bait and Switch, it’s as good as it currently gets, easily making it the DPS king of Revenant. Those looking to get their hands on this weapon will need to head over to Vesper’s Host dungeon for a chance to earn it.